Maxwell Morrongiello: Doing the Most Good

Maxwell Morrongiello is a candidate running for town council who believes in following the path of doing the most good in politics and life.

No matter what the issue, Max's core belief in politics and in life is that one should follow the path of doing the most good. When it comes to policy, Max is always willing to change his mind if you can convince him that another policy or issue will do more good for society.

Max Morrongiello's approach to policy decisions is guided by the principle of doing the most good for Franklin. He starts by clearly defining the problem at hand. Then, Max identifies all the different stakeholders involved - from residents and local businesses to town services and community groups. He carefully considers how each potential solution would impact these various stakeholders, weighing the pros and cons of each option. Finally, Max chooses the approach he believes will bring the most benefit to the greatest number of stakeholders in Franklin, and clearly explains his reasoning to the community.

Three Ways I'll Work for a Better Franklin

I am Maxwell Morrongiello. If elected to Town Council, these are the three primary areas I will focus on to improve Franklin for all residents.

1. Making Taxes and Fees Fair for Franklin Families

2. Smart Investment in Essential Services

3. Better Government, Stronger Community

Making Taxes and Fees Fair for Franklin Families

Franklin's current tax structure places a disproportionate burden on certain residents. Seniors living on fixed incomes, young families with tight budgets, and middle-class homeowners often feel the greatest pressure from rising property taxes and municipal fees, even as their ability to pay remains limited.

My Plan

I support creating a more equitable tax system that better reflects residents' ability to pay while maintaining essential town services. This includes exploring residential exemption provisions in Massachusetts law that could reduce the assessed value for owner-occupied homes.

I have already proven my commitment to tax fairness by successfully advocating for lower water, sewer, and trash fees for low-income residents and seniors—a policy now implemented by the Town Administration. I will continue this work by pushing to expand these reductions to reach more qualifying residents who struggle with these essential costs.

What This Means for You

• If you're a senior on a fixed income: You'll have an advocate who has already delivered real relief on municipal fees
• If you own and live in a modest home: You'll benefit from a tax approach that considers ability to pay
• If you're a working family: Your total municipal costs will better align with your household budget

Creating a fair tax structure preserves Franklin's community fabric while protecting those most vulnerable to displacement from rising costs.

Why This Is Important

Strong communities depend on stable homeownership and property rights. When longtime residents are forced out due to tax burdens growing faster than their incomes, we all lose. Property values are protected when we maintain neighborhood stability and prevent unnecessary displacement of responsible homeowners.

A community with a strong middle class experiences less crime, higher educational achievement, and greater civic participation. Creating a more equitable tax system maintains this balance and protects everyone's investment in Franklin while encouraging a self-reliant population.

For those with higher-valued properties, a more balanced approach actually strengthens your investment by maintaining Franklin's excellent services and community character, both of which drive premium property values. Making modest adjustments now prevents the larger tax increases that would become necessary if our community fabric begins to unravel.

Smart Investment in Essential Services

The Problem

Franklin needs to maintain quality public services while being careful with taxpayer money. Our infrastructure needs attention, police and fire departments need proper resources, and our schools need to prepare students for the future - all within a sustainable budget.

My Plan

I support smart investments in essential services:

• Public Safety: Making sure our police and fire departments have the resources to keep response times short and service quality high
• Education: Supporting our excellent schools with the tools and programs students need to succeed
• Infrastructure: Fixing roads, maintaining water systems, and caring for public facilities that we all use every day

I've attended Finance Committee meetings to question wasteful spending when most residents don't have time to do so. In fact, I'm the only regular citizen in the past decade to challenge potential waste at these meetings. I'll bring both this watchdog perspective and a commitment to essential services to the Town Council.

What This Means for You

You'll get better roads, reliable emergency services, good schools, and well-maintained public spaces - with the assurance that your tax dollars are being spent wisely on what really matters.

Why This Is Important

Quality public services are the foundation of a strong community. When we invest wisely in infrastructure, we prevent costlier emergency repairs later. When we support public safety, we protect both lives and property values. When we maintain excellent schools, we prepare our children while making Franklin attractive to families.

Good services and fiscal responsibility aren't opposites - they go hand in hand. By focusing on what matters most and eliminating waste, we can have both the services we need and the careful stewardship of tax dollars we deserve.

Better Government, Stronger Community

The Problem

Important decisions are often made at Town Hall without sufficient public awareness until after the fact. Meanwhile, increasing polarization makes it harder for neighbors to work together on common challenges, weakening the community bonds that have traditionally made Franklin special.

My Plan

With 16 years of experience in community building, I will work to:

• Enhance awareness of the existing monthly office hours so more residents can participate
• Support a comprehensive five-year town plan with measurable goals, similar to those used in Holliston and Shrewsbury
• Create better oversight of town administration through fact-based evaluation
• Develop opportunities for neighbors to collaborate across traditional dividing lines
• Foster respectful dialogue on local issues that affect all residents

What This Means for You

You'll be better informed about town developments before decisions are finalized. You'll have more opportunities to connect with neighbors and participate in community life. And you'll see a town government that listens and responds to all residents, not just the most vocal or well-connected.

Why This Is Important

Trust in government starts with transparency. When residents understand how and why decisions are made, they're more likely to accept outcomes even when they don't agree with them. This reduces conflict and creates a more efficient government.

My experience organizing community groups shows that bringing people together creates real benefits. When neighbors know and trust each other, communities have better health outcomes, lower crime, and stronger local economies.

Strategic planning with measurable goals helps ensure tax dollars are used wisely. By establishing clear priorities, we can evaluate what's working, eliminate what isn't, and make better decisions with limited resources.

Why This Matters

When we balance tax fairness with wise investments and strong community connections, Franklin becomes better for everyone:

• Neighborhoods stay safer and property values remain strong
• Schools can better prepare our children for success
• Local businesses thrive as more residents participate in our local economy
• Our town attracts development that fits our character
• More people get involved in local decisions

I don't promise quick fixes to all challenges. What I do promise is to show up, listen, and always put the interests of Franklin residents first.

I respectfully ask for your vote on Election Day.

"Where I Stand on the Issues That Matter to Franklin"

Governance and Transparency

• Strengthening oversight of town administration and ensuring ethical conduct in all municipal operations.
• Establishing a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan with measurable goals for the town like Holliston and Shrewsbury do, or working to incorporate strategic planning into the master plan development process.
• Strengthening the strategic planning of key departments.
• Increasing transparency in local government decision-making and operations.
• Guaranteeing all residents have access to information and can actively participate in town affairs.
• Attending regular office hours and town halls to address constituent concerns and gather feedback.

Community Engagement and Collaboration

• Encouraging citizen participation through volunteer opportunities and advisory committees.
• Promoting a positive culture in local politics and improving communication between the council and residents.
• Promoting civility in public discourse
• Collaborating with people of different viewpoints to achieve the best results for Franklin residents.
• Working with local partners like the Downtown Partnership and Interfaith Council to build a stronger sense of community.

Honest, Thoughtful, and Innovative Leadership

• Communicating honestly about Franklin's challenges and opportunities, providing a realistic yet optimistic vision for our future.
• Considering all alternatives for each issue, thoroughly examining various perspectives and potential solutions before making decisions.
• Developing creative solutions to improve our town, applying innovative thinking to Franklin's unique challenges.
• Seeking out new approaches by consulting experts, studying successful models, and encouraging ideas from all residents.
• Admitting mistakes openly and learning from them, demonstrating accountability and personal growth in public service.

Public Safety and Community Wellness

• Investing in professional excellence by providing competitive compensation, evidence-based training, and resources for police, fire, teachers, and public officials.
• Support Franklin Police accreditation and expand partnerships with educational institutions.
• Building community trust through:
  • Developing a Early Intervention and Performance Analysis System in partnership with the police union
  • Implementing Community-oriented policing initiatives
  • Strengthening the independence of the Internal Affairs Unit
  • Collaborating with restaurants and distributors on drunk driving prevention
  • Maintaining Accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission
    
• Supporting first responder wellness through peer support, mental health resources, and family assistance programs.
• Expanding mental health and substance abuse prevention through SAFE Coalition partnerships and community-based programs.
•  Strengthening infrastructure and preparedness:
  •  Prioritizing DPW safety projects (potholes, tree trimming)
  • Enhancing emergency response capabilities
  • Improving cybersecurity defense

Financial Responsibility

• Expanding tax relief for low-income seniors and lowering fees for low-income residents.
• Rooting out unnecessary spending and ensuring wise use of tax dollars.
• Ask myself  "would this do more good in taxpayers's pocket" for every budgeted dollar

• Empowering voters with the choice to approve or reject Proposition 2½ overrides for funding town services.

• Leveraging technology to make government more efficient.
• Ending reliance on short-term budget gimmicks and one-time funds to balance the budget.
• Reducing government red tape for businesses and citizens when they interact with the Town.

Environmental Sustainability

• Continuing the town's efforts towards increasing energy efficiency in municipal buildings and saving ratepayers money through municipal aggregation.
• Protecting our local water sources to ensure clean, safe drinking water for all Franklin residents.
• Supporting discounts for households who minimize trash and reduce waste management expenses.
• Pursuing cost-effective green initiatives that protect our environment while also reducing long-term expenses for the town.
• Maintaining and expanding Franklin's parks, trails, and open spaces to preserve our town's character, provide recreational opportunities for residents, and support local wildlife habitats. 
• Preserving Franklin's natural beauty and resources for future generations through responsible management and conservation practices.

Education

• Maintaining parity in growth of school and non-school spending.
• Meeting students' basic needs, such as reducing child poverty (about 243 children in Franklin are in poverty), and supporting students' housing and food security needs. The biggest predictor of a district's average MCAS scores is the number of low-income students in the district. I believe better supporting low-income students in Franklin will boost Franklin's academic performance.
•  Supporting our teachers who fight every day for our students, and supporting the work that they do.
• Celebrating our town's arts and culture, as well as supporting the preservation of the town's history.

Growth and Development

• Keeping Franklin's population growth low at a target rate of 1% a year. (The historical average is 2% since 1850.)
• Allowing FHS graduates to be able to afford to live in Franklin after they graduate college.
• Ensuring most new residential growth is affordable and middle-income housing.

• Currently working with the Economic Development Subcommittee to develop a comprehensive scoring rubric for Friendly 40B projects that would ensure affordable housing developments contribute to Franklin's infrastructure, match our community character, and provide maximum benefit to residents before approval.

• Enabling seniors who want to downsize the ability to find housing to do so.
• Increasing the percentage of affordable housing to the same level as our neighbor Plainville, from 10.86% to 13.11%.
• Using the Community Preservation Act to fund temporary housing vouchers for homeless residents, as they transition to long term alternatives.
• Balancing development with preservation of Franklin's historic character and open spaces.
• Ensuring traffic considerations are fully accounted for in any new development.
• Fostering a business-friendly environment to attract and retain local businesses, creating jobs and expanding the tax base without increasing tax rates.
• Actively participate in Franklin Downtown Partnership meetings to strengthen collaboration between the Partnership and Town Council.
• Work closely with local business owners to identify and address concerns, focusing on removing obstacles to growth and development.
• Develop creative solutions to reduce vacant commercial properties downtown

Civil Liberties and Equal Rights

• Upholding and respecting the U.S. Constitution, Massachusetts Constitution, and Franklin Town Charter while ensuring local ordinances align with these fundamental protections.
• Safeguarding personal freedoms, privacy rights, due process, and individual liberties for all Franklin residents, balancing public safety needs with civil rights.
• Fostering a welcoming community that ensures equal treatment and opportunities for all residents, respecting diverse backgrounds and viewpoints while promoting individual freedoms.